Scottish Parliament

Written Answers

Friday 20 August 1999

Scottish Executive

Fisheries

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fishing boats are currently licensed solely to fish for scallops, and of those, how many are affected by the current ban on scallop fishing, and how many people’s incomes have been affected as a result of the ban.

Mr John Home Robertson: There are no vessels currently licensed to fish solely for scallops. At present there are 214 over 10 metre vessels, administered by the Scottish Executive, which are licensed to fish for scallops by mechanical dredge in addition to other species appropriate to the terms of their licence. All vessels of 10 metres and under may fish for scallops.

  Since vessels may fish for other species and in other areas, depending on the conditions of the licence, it is not possible to determine definitively how many fishermen’s incomes may have been affected by the ban on scallop fishing which began on 9th July in certain sea areas in the west of Scotland. Local assessments suggest that many of the larger vessels have targeted other species or re-located; so far, the total value of landings recorded centrally for the first seven months of this year by those over 10 metre vessels licensed to fish for scallops by mechanical dredge is about 3 per cent higher than the same period last year. It is not possible accurately to assess the effect on smaller vessels.

  We recognise the importance of the scallop fishery, and we will lift the restriction as soon as it is safe to do so. The safety of consumers is the overriding priority.

Fisheries

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive at what depth of water testing for Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning has been carried out.

Susan Deacon: Integrated water samples from the top 10 metres of water are analysed for the plankton organisms that produce algal toxins.

  Shellfish samples are collected from the sea floor, generally 20m to 100m for scallops. Other mollusc species e.g. mussels may be collected from the sea shore between the high and low water mark or from ropes which are suspended below the surface of the water.

Fisheries

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received representations, dated 4 August 1999, from the Western Isles Fisherman’s Association asking it to take steps to alleviate the severe financial difficulties faced by some of its members and, if so, what response it will make to these representations.

Susan Deacon: Yes. A letter has been received from the Western Isles Fisherman’s Association requesting the early opening of specific grid boxes within the scallop grounds which are currently closed due to high levels of Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning. The letter also expressed concern over the activities of scallop divers.

  A reply to the Association was sent on 6 August 1999 providing them with a copy of the results from the grid boxes mentioned. Further results from the latest round of sampling which took place last week are awaited and these results will be considered as soon as they become available.

  The comments regarding scallop divers have been passed to the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency and Western Isles Council who are responsible for the monitoring and enforcement of the Emergency Closure Orders.

Planning

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to restore funding to Planning Aid Scotland.

Sarah Boyack: We have no plans to provide funding to Planning Aid for Scotland.

Transport

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive to outline actual and planned public expenditure, other than by local government, on transport in Scotland for each financial year from 1995/1996 to 2001/2002, in both current and inflated-indexed prices, and to detail separately the expenditure on (a) road construction and improvement, (b) road management, (c) repair and maintenance and (d) support for transport, including Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL), CalMac and Scotrail.

Sarah Boyack: The information requested is shown in the table. The outturn and planned expenditure have been extracted from the Scottish Office Report "Serving Scotland’s Needs", a copy of which is available in the Parliament’s Information Centre.

  

 

1995-96



1996-97



1997-98



1998-99



1999-00



2000-01



2001-02




 

£m



£m



£m



£m



£m



£m



£m




 

Outturn 


Outturn 


Outturn 


Estimated Outturn 



Plans 


Plans 


Plans 



Motorway 
and Trunk Road Construction & Improvement 
Note 1 


142 


120 


91 


58 


23 


14 


17 



(Indexed 
Prices) Note 2

158



129



96



59



23



14



16




Motorway 
and Trunk Road Repair & Maintenance
Notes 1&3 


84 


83 


80 


98 


140 


161 


169 



(Indexed 
Prices)

93



89



84



100



140



157



161




Other 
Transport Programmes Note 4

45 


44 


46 


64 


65 


65 


65 



(Indexed 
Prices)

50



47



48



66



65



63



62




HIAL

11 


7 


7 


9 


16 


11 


13 



(Indexed 
Prices)

12



8 


7 


9 


16



11



12




CalMac

15 


14 


20 


19 


21 


17 


16 



(Indexed 
Prices)

17



15



21



19



21



17



15




SPTE 
Note 5

- 


71 


102 


94 


88 


78 


71 



(Indexed 
Prices)

- 


76



107



96



88



76



68




Scotrail 
Note 6

- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


107 


100 



(Indexed 
Prices)

- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


104



95





   Notes

  1. Disaggregated figures are not available for road management costs. These cover a range of activities such as traffic calming and management, and consultants fees. The costs are included in these figures.

  2. The Indexed prices are based on the GDP deflators at 22 March 1999, the latest available.

  3. PFI payments in respect of the M6 DBFO are included from 1998-99 onwards.

  4. Expenditure on "Other Transport Programmes" includes Freight Facilities, Grants to Shipping services, Rural Transport Measures, Bus Fuel Duty Rebate, Road Safety Measures, Loganair Subsidy and grants for Piers and Harbours including CalMac piers..

  5. Figures for 1995/96 are not available as payments were made by DETR.

  6. Figures for 1995/96 to1999-00 are not available as payments were made by DETR. From 2000-01 payments will be made by the Scottish Executive.

Transport

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has examined the impact on the Scottish economy of the current level of taxation on hauliers and motorists, and, if so, whether it will provide information on its findings.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive undertakes regular analysis of the current and future prospects for the Scottish economy. However, decisions on levels of taxation of motoring and haulage are reserved under Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act and are therefore a matter for the Chancellor of the Exchequer.